The two biggest threats to any enterprise are the infinite complexity of an uncertain future, and the fact that everyone is busy. And so darn efficient.

The default enterprise model has been built to instil order and resist change — but this is the very thing holding us back. As philosopher James Carse observes, ‘Only that which can change can continue.'

In order to stay relevant, we must embrace a pioneering form of leadership. This means venturing beyond our default, efficient and established ways of working, and pursuing new pathways of growth.

We do this by embarking on quests into the uncertainty of possible future contexts, exploring scenarios in which our current business model may be rendered unviable or incoherent. Among common incoherencies, we explore potential strategic options that may enable our enterprise to mitigate risk and/or unlock new value. We continue to monitor the drivers of change. When a particular future context (and its associated incoherencies) seems likely to manifest, the alternative options identified can be explored. These pathways are tested rigorously. Through scientific experimentation, a set of viable alternative options are generated to enrich and augment strategic decision-making.

Alternative pathways allow enterprise leaders to pioneer beyond the default. All enterprises began this way but, at some point in the journey, efficiency eclipsed the need for exploration. Quests bring this back into balance, ensuring that you not only deliver excellence today, but also build for future relevance.

It's not an easy journey — it's a hero's journey.

And it starts with you.